Archive for the 'Luis Cruz' Tag Under 'Dodgers' Category

Veteran third baseman Scott Rolen has kept the Cincinnati Reds waiting all winter to find out if he will retire or continue to play in 2013.

But the Reds have already moved forward. Todd Frazier is penciled in as their every-day third baseman with Jack Hannahan also on the roster. But GM Walt Jocketty said he has kept the lines of communication with Rolen open and the Reds might bring him back -- at a reduced salary and in a reduced role -- if Rolen wants to keep playing.

"It's still up in the air," Jocketty told MLB.com today. "I hope to get it resolved this weekend. I've been busy this week dealing with the arbitration guys."

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly confirmed last weekend that the Dodgers have discussed signing the veteran free agent as a fallback option at third base where Luis Cruz is the incumbent -- but still largely unproven. The 28-year-old journeyman was a pleasant surprise for the Dodgers last season, hitting .297 with six home runs and 40 RBI. But that was in just 92 games and even Mattingly questions whether Cruz can replicate that type of production over a full season.

But the clock continued to wind down on the Dodgers' season, even as they won their fifth in a row. Earlier, the St. Louis Cardinals beat Washington 10-4, maintaining their 2-game lead for the second and final wild-card spot.

At least the final series of the regular season will have a little drama: The Dodgers play three at home against the San Francisco Giants, starting Monday night. The Cardinals finish up with three at home against Cincinnati.

Beckett gave up a solo home run to Andrew Brown to start the fourth, but that was all the Rockies could extract from him. He pitched out of his only other two tight spots (bases loaded, 1 out in the third; and first and third, no out in the fifth) and allowed six hits and three walks while striking out five on 97 pitches.

Andre Ethier is batting seventh in the batting order for the first time in exactly three years as the Dodgers try to stay alive for the wild-card playoff.

Ethier is 1 for 11 in his career against the Rockies' Sunday starter, Jorge De La Rosa.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said he wanted Luis Cruz in there at No. 6 to protects No. 5 hitter Hanley Ramirez in the order.

"Cruz fits in there behind Hanley, kind of forces them, you hope, to pitch to Hanley a little bit more," Mattingly said before the 1:10 p.m. game. "I'd say with Dre back there, theyr'e gonna be a little more cautious with how he's hit lefties, and how he's hit this guy (De La Rosa) in particular.

September 15th, 2012, 9:11 pm by DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

One play had Don Mattingly choked up, fighting back tears after the Dodgers' come-from-behind 4-3 over St. Louis Saturday night at Dodger Stadium.

It wasn't Luis Cruz's game-tying double in the ninth – the second gigantic hit in the past two days for the unlikely hero. And it wasn't Juan Rivera's walk-off single on the next at bat that skimmed off Daniel Descalso's glove at second base.

No, Mattingly had to do his best to keep from breaking down after seeing Matt Kemp misplay a fly ball and crash into the center-field wall.

With no one out in the top of the ninth inning and the Dodgers trailing, Yadier Molina flew to deep center, and Kemp misplayed the ball off the wall, banging his left shoulder into the fence. The ball ricocheted back towards the infield while Kemp picked himself off the warning track and sprinted towards the ball.

Kemp picked it up bare-handed, and before his momentum sent him back to the ground, he unleashed a strike to Cruz at third base to get Molina.

September 11th, 2012, 10:22 pm by DAN WOIKE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

The Dodgers know they can't keep doing this.

When ace Clayton Kershaw turns in a performance like he did Tuesday night at Chase Field in Phoenix, you can't lose 1-0 to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

You just can't.

“Is it frustrating to know that this guy is on the mound pitching the way he has and we're not scoring any runs? Absolutely,” outfielder Shane Victorino said. “…It mind boggles me just like it mind boggles you that we can't score three runs to go out and compliment his gem every single time.”

The Dodgers trail the St. Louis Cardinals by 1 ½ games for the final wild card spot.